Bottle-seal.



No. 642,739. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

E. E. DAUGHERTY. I

BOTTLE SEAL.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.)

(No Model.)

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. DAUGI-IERTY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOTTLE-SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,739, dated February6, 1900.

Application filed March 29, 1899. Serial No. 710,870. (No model.)

The invention consists of a cap of thin, but

strong, metal placed over the mouth of the bottle, with the skirt orlower margin turned inwardly, by an action similar to spinning, tostrongly engage below the usual shoulder on the bottle-neck and securelyinclose the mouth of the bottle and protect its closure. The cap is madewith an annular joint dividing it into two independent portions joinedby soldering a strip of thin metal to the adjacent edges of each andadapted to be easily and neatly removed by engaging a free end in asuitable key and by turning the latter wind the strip from the cap tothe key, and thus break the bond, allow the cap to separate, and presentthe bottle-mouth in condition for the easy removal of the cork or otherclosure.

The seal is efficient, neat and attractive in appearance, and easily andcheaply manufactured and applied.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show theinvention as I have carried it out.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the cap alone before itsapplication to the bottle. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view showing thecap in position and locked. The dotted lines indicate means for curlingthe metal below the shoulder. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken onthe line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a face view of the key used inbreaking the seal. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a bottle-neck sealed by amodified form of my invention, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section showinganother modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, A is a cap of thin sheet metal,preferably soft iron coated with tin, formed, by stamping or drawing insuitable dies, in two parts A A the former being closed at the top A andof such size at the open end as to match to the lower tubular portion AThese parts are secured together to form a whole by a narrow strip B ofthin metal applied on the adjacent edges of both and extendingcompletely around and lapped upon itself, leaving the end free andextendingoutwardly. Thejointismadewith weak solder and covers theannular opening a in a manner practically the same as that so well knownand generally used in the canning of meats and other articles andperforms a somewhat similar function. The cap thus constructed is placedupon the head M of a closed bottle and the skirt or lower margin A iscurled under the shoulder M and upon a portion of the neck M, to form aninwardlyprojecting flange A by a process resembling, in effect,spinning, performed by suitable tools operated by hand or machinery. Thejunction thus produced is strong and reliable, additional stiffnessbeing secured by the portion A encircling the neck. I have indicated bythe dotted lines in Fig. 2 a series of rollers N, adapted to be revolvedabout the stationary bottle and by slowly approaching the lattergradually force the metal to assume approximately the form shown. Thussealed the bottle cannot be opened without removing the strip B or bycutting or otherwise forcibly removing the cap. In either case thecondition of the seal will plainly show it has been tampered with andthe acceptance of the bottle may be refused.

To break the seal and remove the cap, the key 0, accompanying eachbottle, made, as usual, preferably of strong stiff wire, having athumb-piece O and slot 0 for the reception of the free end B of thestrip, is engaged upon such end and by a twisting movement the solder isgradually broken and the strip wound upon the key, leaving the joint aopen, so that the portion A of the cap maybe removed, or, in some cases,carrying away this portion still attached to the strip. The mouth of thebottle is thus exposed, allowing the removal of the cork or otherclosure, as usual, the portion A of the cap still remaining on thebottle-neck and serving no further purpose except that of indicating byits presence or by its color or other distinguishing feature the brandor quality of the contents of the bottle. Its engagement below theshoulder holds it against slipping forward on the neck, and therebyinterfering with the flow from the bottle-mouth, aad usually its closecontact with the surface will prevent its movement in the oppositedirection.

I have shown the top A of the cap as provided with a swell or dome A,which is intended to receive the name of the manufacturer or otherdistinguishing mark and also to give an attractive finish. It adds tothe appearance of the seal, but may be omitted, as shown in Figs. 5 and6. In these figures the portion A of the skirt is also omitted, the edgebeing curled under sufficiently to reliably engage the shoulder. Lessmetal is required for this form and it is sufliciently strong to servesuccessfully in ordinary cases. Fig. (ialso shows a' plain cylindricalcap instead of the tapered or coned form of the preceding figures.

Further modifications may be made in the forms and proportions and inthe materials employed, as may be found necessary or desirable inadapting the invention to various styles and forms of bottles.

Although I have shown and described the invention as applied to ordinarybottles, it Will be understood that it will serve with other analogousvessels or containers.

I claim- The cap of strong sheet metal comprising the closed upperportion A and open lower portion A arranged at a distance apart andjoined together by an annular strip B removably attached to the adjacentedges of the portions and having a free end serving to aid in itsremoval, the skirt A on said lower portion curled inwardly to form theflange A in combination with each other and with a bottle-neck havingthe shoulder M thereon below the mouth, adapted to be engaged by saidflange and hold the cap against removal, all substantially as and forthe purposesherein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afiix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. DAUGI'IERTY.

Witnesses:

W. R. NIVAST,

A. L. PIERCE.

